Door-control means for elevators



June l1, 1929. H. w. sHoNNARD DOOR CONTROL MEANS FOR ELEVATORS Filed Aug. 6, 1928 5 Sheets-sheet INVENTOR,

f /aro/d ben/vara y f W AQRNEY.

June 11, 1929. H. w. sHoNNARD DOOR CONTROL MEANS FOR ELEVATORS Filed Aug. 6, 1928 s sheets-Sheet June 1l, 1929. w, SHONNARD 1,716,569

DOOR CONTROL MEANS FOR ELEVATORS File'd Aug. 6, 1928 '3 Sheets-Sheet 5 i INVENTOR. #aro/a Zff. C577 orina/d Patented dune ll,

HAROLD W. SHONNARD, F MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, .ASSIGNOR T0 ELEVATOR SUPPLIES COMPANY, INC., OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ACORPOBATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

DOOR-CONTROL MEANS FOR ELEVATORS.

Application med august e, 1928. serial No. 297,835.

This inventionrelatcs to elevators and particularly to imln'ovements in the operation of elevator' doors, including both the doors along the elevator' shaftway and the doors on the elevator itself.

The invention is preferably, though not eX- clusively, employed in conjunction withthat type of door operating mechanism ut1l1z1ng a prime mover or motion producing member on the elevator, a motion transnnttlng member also on the elevator and a driven member associated with the doors at each shaftway landing, the driven members being engageable in succession by the driving member on the elevator to produce operation of the shaftway doors in response to the energization ofthe prlme mover on the elevator as the elevator stops at the respective landings-and also to produce operation of the door on the elevator itself l0 simultaneously with the operation of the shaftway doors.

To attain the type of operation described in the preceding paragraph it is preferred to so position the driving member on the elevator on the one hand and the driven members along the shaftway on the other that the transmission of motion from one to the other will be effected by means of producing contact between lateral surfaces on each ofthe members whereby sidewise movement of the driving member will produce corresponding lateral movement of the driven member. In this respect the mechanism preferably employed is similar' in principle to that described and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 282,904 for elevator control apparatus, led in the United States Patent Office J une 5, 1928. The present invention goes further, however, in providing an improved construction and method of operation for the driving member whereby the driving faces, although normally disposed in such relative positions that they avoid any physical contact with the driven members along the shaftway so long as the elevator is in motion, undergo a change in their relative positions which brings them into engaging relation to the proper shaftway member when the elevator stops at a floor and the prime mover for operating the doors is energized.

The novel mechanism for producing the result referred to in the preceding paragraph preferably takes the formiof a curvilineal track on the elevator in which a wheel is adapted to roll in response to energization of the prime mover and the resultant initial opening movement of the elevator door; the rolling of such wheel producing through novel connecting mechanism the desired relative movement of the driving faces so as to bring them into motion transmitting engagement with the shaftway member controlling operation of the shaftway doors.

' Another object ofthe invention is to provide an improved constructionintermediate the primemover and the driving faces for the shaftway doors, such improved construction providing a greater latitutde in the adjustability of the operating linkage and thereby permitting the use of the same model door operator under a wider range of connections.

When the elevator doors are of the dierential speed type'involving two or more sections adapted to move in parallel paths at different speeds and through different distances, the invention provides an additional feature of advantage and novelty consisting of a novel operating and connecting linkage a'ording a direct drive between the prime mover and the slower door section, and permitting the elimination of any direct drive from the prime mover to the faster door section. Inasmuch as the slower door section ordinarily travels a distance which is only one-half (or less) that of the faster section, it will be apparent that a saving in the length of the working stroke'of the prime mover is thereby effected. i

The invention goes further and provides novel means for transmitting the motion of the slower section to the faster section, which consist of providing a stud or post on the slower section to serve as a fulcrum about driven link upon the fulcrum stud is such that a much more eHective leverage ratio is provided for pulling the faster section than can be obtained by the means heretofore in use for transmitting the motion of the prime iiover to the several sections of this type of oor.

Heretofore such means either took the form of a direct connection between the several seetions by means of a flexible chain or cable, or it took the form of a plurality of toggle 'links connected in tandem to the respective sections. With either type the eHort which had to be expended to open both sections of the door was the sum of theeiforts which would have been necessary were the sections mechanieallyseparate. Withthearrangement of the present invention, on the other hand,

the effort necessary to open the faster section is but a very small fraction of that which has heretofore been necessary; the precise amount being dependent upon the points selected for attachment of the novel linkage disclosed herein.

Other objects and .advantages to be derived from the use of the invention disclosed herein reside in the specific construction and inter-relation of the parts and will become more apparent from the following description, the understanding of which may be facilitated by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. l is a view in elevation of an elevator equipped with the novel operating mechanism ,of this invention, the elevator having a door composed of two sections adapted to move along parallel paths at different speeds.

Fig. 2 is an elevation view on a Ilarger scale of a part of the novel mechanism shown in Fig. 1 for transmitting the motion'lof the prime mover to the hatchway doors.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation view of another part of this mechanism including the track and wheel construction for operating the relatively movable driving faces.

Fig. 4 is a view partly in section of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3, the view being on a still larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2 and showing in addition the appearance of the shaftway member controlling the operation of the shaftway doors at one landing, this shaftway member being shown in its true relation to the driving mechanism on the elevator.

Referring to the drawings wherein the vpreferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several i views, the character 1 designates an elevator adapted to travel in either direction along the hatchway 2, the elevator being provided with a door composed of two sections 3 and 4 respectively adapted to move in parallel paths along the front wall of the elevator 1, but at different speeds determined by the operating linkage to be described later. Sections 3 and 4 of the door are provided with suitable suspension means such as the hanger plates 5 and 6 in which are mounted rollers 7 and 8 respectively, these rollers being adapted to roll along a suitable track 9. (See Figures 3 and 5.)

Power for operating the sections 3 and 4 of the elevator door and likewise for operating the hatchway doors, the door 1() at one landing being shown in Fig. 6, consists of a prime mover, preferably an alternating current electric motor 12, suitably mounted on the elevator 1 and having associated therewith a gear train comprising a pinion 13, an intermediate gear 14, a second pinion 15 and a driven gear 16, the latter having secured thereto a crank arm 17 on the outer end of which is a crank disc 18 adapted to slide back and forth, in response to rotation of the gear 16, along suitable guides 19 and 2O fixed to the yoke member 21.

This yoke member 21, in order to permit the ready adjustment of the mechanism to conform to any one of the varyii'igv shaftway conditions encountered in elevator installation, and also to permit ready translation of the rotary motion of crank arm 17 to the horizontally moving doors, is provided with a rectilineally slotted portion shown at 22 in which the guides 19 and 20 are mounted, and in its lower portion is provided with a curvilineally slotted portion 23, this second slotted portion being preferably fo-rmed on the arc of a circle drawn from a center coinciding with the bearing pin 25 on which the yoke member 21 is mounted, the pin 25 being suitably journaled in the supporting standard 26 secured to the roof of the elevator.

The means for transmitting the rockin, r motion of the yoke 21 to the doors 3 and 4 and to the shaftway door driving mechanism consists preferably of an elongated arm 30 adapted to be pivotally mounted to swing with the yoke 21 about the bearing pin 25, a series of fastening pins being provided along the upper portiony on the said arm 30 topermit an adjustment of the said arm in the plate 31 which serves to secure the former to the lower portion of the yoke member 21. By means of the screw bolt 27 the plate 31 is first adjusted to the desired position in slot 23, and is then secured in such adjusted position by aiixing the other bolts shown at 28.

Near the lower end of the arm 30 provision is made for the attachment of an elbow member 32 the lower end of which is provided with a pin 33 serving for the attachment of a short link 34, the other end of the link 34 being pivotally mounted on a pin 36' seated in the jaw 38, the latter constituting one of the two driving jaws of the mechanism for controlling the movement of the shaftway doors. To insure greater ease and smoothness of motion both joints 33 and 36 are preferably provided with roller bearings, as shown at 35 and 37 respectively.

The jaw 38 consists essentially of two surfaces disposed at right angles to each other, one of which is secured flat against the slower section 3 of'thc elevator door through the intermediary of the bolts 40 and 41 and the plate 42 (see Figures 1, 2 and 6).

The other driving jaw 44, constituting the co-operating portion of the motion transmitting mechanism, is preferably constructed and operated so as to be movable toward and away from the outstanding face 45 of the relatively stationary jaw 38, the movement of the jaw 44 taking place in a plane parallel with the plane of the door section 3. To permit such lateral movement of the plate 44 it is preferably provided with a pair of links 47 and 48 adapted to swing about the fixed pivot pins 49 and 5() respectively in response to vertical movement of the lower end 53 of the jaw operating rod 55 from which the plate 44 is suspended by the eye-piece 51. With this construction it is apparent thatvertical movement of the rod 55 and eye-piece 51 will produce a combined vertical and lateral movement of the plate 44 to cause an alternate decrease and increase in the gap existing between the'edge 56 of the face 45 of the aw 38.

With the jaw 44 in the position shown in.

phantom lines in Fig. 2 it is apparent from a comparison of the gap with the size of the shaftway roller 85 (indicated in phantom lines in said ligure) that no physical contact between the jaws on the one hand and the roller 85 on the other will occur. On movement of the jaw 44 toward the face 45 of jaw 38 Ia`ndinto the position shown in full lines in'Fig. 2 however, it is obvious thatI the gap has been reduced to a point where physical engagement between the jaws and,Y the roller may take place. It is, therefore, desirable to,

so position and to so control the movement of jaw 44 that it will occupy the position shown in phantom lines in Fig.2 at all times while the elevator is in motion, andso that it Will move to the position shown in full lines upon the stopping of the elevator at any landing' and the ensuing energization of the prime mover 12.

The present invention contemplates the pro- Vision of such a control means in the form of a plate mounted preferably above the slower 'section 3 of the elevator `door and having cut therein a curvilinealtraek 72 the outer portionV of which is horizontally disposed and the inner portion of which is curved preferably along the arc of a circle whose center is located a considerable distance about'the pin 25. The innerm'ost portion of the track jaw 44 and the 72 is preferably eut along a different are and is also preferably formed so as to correspond in contour to the periphery of the wheel 75 adapted to roll on the track. As shown in Fig. 1, when the doors are in closed positlon so that the elevator is `free to proceed alongA the shaftway, the wheel 75 is preferably disposed near the innermost portion ofthe track 72 so that the slightest movement of the door section 3 from its closed position vtoward its .open position in response to energization of 48 in a clockwise direction about their iixed centers 49 and 50 respectively. Such swinging of the links 47 and 48 will necessarily cause a shifting of the jaw 44 to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and into closer proximity to theoutstanding face 45 of the jaw 38. Then the jaw 44 has moved sufficiently close to thejaw 38 to insure contact with the shaftway roller 85. no further transverse motion ot' the jaw 44 will occur for .the reasonthat by this time the roller 7 5 has reached Vthe level portion 77 of the track/72, and consequently no further variation in the vertical disposition thereof takes placeuntil near the end of the return movement of the doors to their closed position, when the wheel 75 again ascends the sloping portion 760i the track; on which occasion thelinkage 55, 47 and 48 will again operate to withdraw .the jaw 44 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

1n this connection notice should be taken of the noveluniversal vjoint used as the means for transmitting the motion of the finger 80 to the-rod 55. Referringto Fig. 4, where this is best illustrated, the jointis' shown as consisting of a pin 60 rigidly fastened at 61 to a recess inthe finger 80, and provided with a spherical head 62 at its outer end; the head 62 being adapted to accommodate itself in 'the correspondingly curved pocket 63 v l adjustable threaded cap `67,'is provided to maintain any desired pressure on the ball G2 so as to insure the transmission ofjall downward movement of the finger 8() to the rod Furthermore this construction-L assures the immediate transmission of every downward movement of the finger 8O to the rod 55 irrespeetive of the constant change which takes place in the angular disposition of the finger 8.0 relative to the rod '55 .hiring the movement ofthe wheel 75 from one end ot its path to the other, and also irrespective of any possible mis-alignment of the parts.

The roller 85 may be .connected in any desired way with the associated shaftway door 10 so as to impart an opening movement thereto when struck by the moving face of the jaw 38, and also so as to effect a closing of the door when the reversal ofl tlie prime mover 12 transfers the driving function to the face 56 on jaw 44. However', I prefer to employ a construction similar to that described in my aforesaid co-pending application, Serial No. 282,904 and illustrated in part in Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.

As indicated in Fig. 6, this construction comprises a cylindrical member 90 provided with a protruding lug or boss 91 on which the roller 85 is mounted, the member 90 being further provided with a bracket 92 constituting a means for connection with a toggle lever 93, the latter constituting an operating lever for the door 10 to which it is pivotally secured by means of a pin 95 and boss 96. The preferred construction for the cylindrical member 90 is such as to permit the automatic withdrawal of the roller 85 in the 'event of a collision between such member and one of the faces of the mechanism on the elevator. Such construction will not be described at length herein, however, for` the reason that it forms the subject matter of my aforesaid co-pending application, Serial No. 282,904, and is fully illustrated and described therein.

Referring further to Fig. "6, a novel joint construction is illustrated for use with the pin about which the link 48 swings, 'as heretofore described. As illustrated in Fig. 6 the pin 50 has mounted thereon a pair of positioning nuts 98 and 99 and a washer 100 of some soft and pliable material, preferably rubber, the washer 100 being separated froml the nuts by means of the steel disc 101 and vfrom the face of the boss 102 by a similar steel disc 103. With this construction it is possible to secure the link 48 snugly in the desired position on pin 50 by properly positioning the nut 99, and then, to assure the maintenance of the link in such snug position, by tighteningthe lock nut 98. At the same time sufficient freedom is permitted to allow the link 48 to perform its necessary 5-5 function of oscillation through a small arc by the use of the soft flexible washer 100; the latter also serving to prevent undue noise or rattle."` The use of the steel washers 101 and y 103 prevents undue wear on the .surfaces of the rubber washer 100, the wear being taken' instead by the steel faces. This construction \is also preferably employed for the joint at "49. and wherever else-desired.

Fig. 1 illustrates the novel linkage preferably employed for vpermitting,` movement of thn fa .ster door section v4 with the expenditure suitably fixed to the slower section 3 of tlie door and insuch a position as to permit the link 106, which is pivoted thereto, to be placed in the most effective position with respect to the attainment of a maximum of 1everage. To the lower end ofthe link 106 is pivoted a'second link 107 connecting with the outer edge of the faster section 4 by a suitable bracket asv indicated at 108. The upper end of link 106 is likewisev pivotally connected to a third link 109, the latter being pivotally attached at 110 to the link 30.

From an inspection of the relative positioning of these links and the positions occupied both when the doors are fully closed and when fully opened, the latter positions being indicated in dash lines, it will be seen that the opening movement of the doors and the .attendant clockwise oscillation of the driving link 30 will cause a movement of the stud 105 to the left at a speed greater than the speed attained by the pin 110, since pin 105 is at a greater distance from the point 25 which is the Center of oscillation. By the saine token the pivot pin 112 connecting the links 109 and 106, likewise moves to tlie left at a rate slowerthan the rate of movement of the pin 105. At the same time the pin 114 joining the links 106 and 107 moves to the 'left at a rate faster than that attained by any of the pins just referredto, for the reason that the link 107 connects with the faster section 4 which has a rate of speed approximately twice that of the slower section 3. The result is that the link 106 is given a clockwise rocking motion about the pin 105 as a fulcrum and the up er link 109 appears to move backward relatively to the` lower-whiehis the driving-end of link 106 as the latter moves to tlie left.

The opening movement of the section 4 is slower section 3, the links 106 and 107 servingas the means for pulling the faster section 4L At the same time the arrangement of the links is such that the work that must be performed by the link 30 in pulling the links 32 and 34 to the left is reduced by the pull to the right exerted upon the link 109 at the intermediate point 110. To inaugurate and control the operation of the electrical prime mover 12, and to effect its stopping and reversal at the proper time, I prefer to employ the electrical parts and connections described and claimed in the co-pending application of myself and Harold y J. Fear for door control means for elevators,

filed December 15, 1927, and bearing Serial No. 240,304. It is to be understood, however, that other suitable means may be employed instead.

Other constructionsand arrangements of parts may be employed, as will be obvious to persons skilled in the art without departmg from the scope of this invention as disclosed herein and defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with an elevator and a hatchway therefor, a landing along said hatchway at which said elevator may stop, a door at said landing, a door on the elevator, and means partly on the elevator and partly at said landing for moving said landing door in unison with said elevator door and` comprising a driving member on the elevator having two jaws disposed in parallelism, one of said jaws being fixed relatively t0 the other, and means for causing the movable jaw to approach the position occupied by the relatively fixed jaw when the elevator is stopped at said landing, said last named means comprising a curvilineal track on said elevator, a wheel adapted to move along said track in response to movement of the elevator door, and a link connecting said wheel to said movable jaw whereby the movement of said wheel along said track is communicated to said movable jaw.

2. In combination with an elevator and 'a hatchway therefor, a landing along said at said landing for moving said landing door I in unison with said elevator door and comprising a pair of jaws one of which is fixedly secured to the elevator door and the other of which is movable toward and away from the fixed jaw, and means for causing the movable jaw to approach the position occupied by the relatively fixed jaw when the elevator is stopped at said landing, said last named means comprising a curvilineal track on said elevator, a wheel adapted to move along said track in response to movement of the elevator door, and a link connecting said wheel to Said movable jaw whereby the movement of said wheel along said track is communicated to said movable jaw.

3. In combination with an elevator and a hatchway therefor, a landing along said hatchway at which said elevator may stop, a door at said landing, a door on the elevator and means partly on the elevator and partly at said landing for moving 'said landing door in unison with said elevator door and comprising a pair of jaws one of which is lixedly secured to the elevator door and the other of which is movable toward and away from the iiXed jaw, and means for causing the movable jaw to approach the position occupied by the relatively fixed jaw when the elevator is stopped at said landing, said last named means comprising a curvilineal track on said elevator, a wheel adapted to move along said track in response to movement of the elevator door, said track being so curved that said wheel has a vertical vas well as horizontal movement along said track, and4 means for converting the vertical motion of said wheel into a lateral movement of said movable jaw.

4. An elevator door operating mechanism comprising a prime mover mounted on the elevator, a rocking power transmitting member also mounted on the elevator in proximity to said prime mover, said rocking member being provided with a rectilineally slotted portion and also provided with a eurvilineally slotted portion, a crank arm connected at one end to said prime mover and connected at its other end to a member engaging said rectilineally slotted portion,

and a door operating arm having near one end thereof a member engaging said curvilineally slotted portion and connecting at its other end with the door to be operated, said rocking member thus constituting the intermediate member by which the motion of said prime mover is imparted to said door operating member and to the door. to be operated.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the door operating arm is provided with a fulcrum pin, the center line lof which coincides with the center about which said rocking member swings in response to movement of said prime mover.

6. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the door operating arm is provided with means for securing said arm in different positions with respect to the eurvilineally slotted portion of said rocking member.

7. In an elevator door operating mechanism, in combination with a prime mover and motion transmitting means comprising a relatively stationary jaw and a movable jaw, at least one link, connected at one end to said movable jaw, al pivot bearing at its other end about which said link is swung to shift said movable jaw relatively to said stationary jaw, and means operable by said prime mover for swinging said link about said bearing to bring said movable jaw into motion transmitting position with respect to the door to be operated, said last-named means comprising a track having an inclined surface, a roller adapted to be moved along tured end of the link, and means for preventing sidewise movement of the link long said pin comprising a restraining member on 4said pin, a metallic washer bearing 5 against the surface of the link, a non-metallic washer of compressible material bearing against said metallic washer, and a second.v

metallic washer bearing against both and held in place by said restraining member.

Signed at Hoboken, in the county of Hud- 10 son and State of New Jersey this fourth day of August A. D. 1928.

HAROLD W. SHONNARD. 

